Nintendo's first ever game for Android has finally touched down (unless you actually count the abomination that is Miitomo). Fire Emblem Heroes, a classic turn-based RPG optimized for mobile gaming, has come out for Android and iOS in Australia, Europe, and Japan, and is due out in North America and other worldwide locales very soon. Due to Nintendo's staggered release, the game isn't available to us in the United States at the time of this writing, but fret not—there's another way to download and play this little gem.

Installing Fire Emblem Heroes

First, try the Google Play Store link and see if that works. If it still wants you to "pre-register," and you can't wait for the release, start by making sure "Unknown sources" is enabled in Settings under Security, if not already done so. Then, hit up the APK link below, which is from APKMirror, a trusted source for APK downloads.

From there, tap "Download APK" on the bottom of the page, then you'll be asked to confirm for safety reasons, so press "OK." Once that's finished, tap the Download complete notification, then press "Install," and you'll be ready to play the game within a few seconds!

Fire Emblem Heroes: A Quick Intro

Fire Emblem Heroes is a free-to-play, grid-based tactical combat game in the mold of Final Fantasy Tactics. A console classic, Nintendo has tweaked the gameplay to be more appealing for a broader segment of fast-paced mobile players.

The story is a combination of all of the Fire Emblem games that have come before on Nintendo's consoles, with players using orbs to summon new heroes and enter battles in the present conflict. The game's battlefields have been shrunk to fit into the game's portrait-only format, and players can power up heroes by enhancing their relationships, making them more effective in battles.

An important factor to consider before entering battles in Fire Emblem Heroes is its class system. There are four main classes categorized into different colors which determine their corresponding strengths and weaknesses:

Red: Swordsmen with fire magic, strong against ax wielders but weak against spear-men.

Green: Ax wielders with wind magic, strong against spear-men but weak against swordsmen.

Blue: Spear-men/Lancers with thunder magic, strong against swordsmen, but weak against ax wielders.

Gray: Archers and Ninjas with ranged weapons but no magic. Especially effective against flying units, but low defense points means they're weak against all colors.

Mastering the triangle will help you in battles, and archers and ninjas are great against flying units.

Stay Tuned for More

We've been playing Fire Emblem Heroes for a few hours now, and it's quickly proving to be one addictive time-killer. Kudos to Nintendo for a great game! While still technically not available to play here in the US, it is available for download outside of the Google Play Store. We highly recommend you give the game a try, you won't be disappointed. We'll also be sure to keep you posted with any updates or tips to help you play Fire Emblem Heroes like a champ, so stay tuned.